You Can Have the Life You Want with the Help of Physical Therapy!
Physical therapy improves the physical health of people with injuries, illnesses, and medical conditions.
An individualized physical therapy program is a conservative approach to managing these types of problems and improving overall health and well-being.
To learn more about physical therapy and how it can benefit you, contact us today!
Evidence of the success of physical therapy
Clinical studies support the benefits of physical therapy for health conditions like osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is one of the ten most common illnesses. As stated by the National Institutes of Health, “Patients were recruited from the osteoporosis outpatient clinics of Klinikum Südstadt hospital and the University hospital of Rostock to engage in physical therapy for osteoporosis.
Over a period of 3 months, 44 patients with osteoporosis completed a twice-weekly 30-minute intensive exercise program. The conclusion was that physical therapy reduced pain and improved function, with the sling exercise patients benefiting most. The combination of functional improvement and pain mitigation resulted in improved health.” This study is just one of the many proving the health benefits of physical therapy.
Avoiding injuries is another key factor in living a healthy and active life
While it’s always important to get active to relieve aches and pains, and to improve your health and wellness, it is also important to avoid injuries.
Here are some great ways to avoid injuries while also staying active:
- Understand the correct technique of equipment use. When engaging in any type of physical activity, it is important to make sure you have the right equipment. For example, running shoes, hiking boots, helmets, and more can help you avoid injury and stay safe while doing the activities you enjoy. They can make all the difference when it comes to preventing injuries.
- Don’t push yourself too hard. It is important to train and practice for any physical activity you’d like to try. Start small in the beginning and build up from there. For example, if you aren’t used to running but you’d like to complete a 5k, don’t start off with 3-mile runs. Begin with a half mile and slowly build up. When you push your body past its current limits, you make yourself more prone to injuries because your body is not prepared for the physical demands being asked of it. A physical therapist can help you understand the limits of your body and can create an exercise plan for you to reach your physical goals.
- Hydrate and fuel yourself with nutritious meals. Did you know that your body is over 70% water? Because of this, it requires water in order to remain supple and function properly. Without adequate water and nutrition, your body’s tissues are more prone to over-stretching and injury. Make sure you drink the recommended 8 glasses of water a day, and always keep a water bottle with you when you are working out. If needed, you can also replenish your electrolytes with sports drinks, such as Gatorade.
- Stretch, stretch, stretch. This is one of the most important ways to prevent injuries. Your tissues require water in order to be elastic, and stretching helps to bring water into the tissues. This increases muscle flexibility and prevents them from becoming stiff or tight, thus decreasing the chances of them over-stretching and/or tearing.
6 ways a physical therapist will work to improve your health and wellness
1. Decreasing the risk of heart disease and lung disease
Physical therapy is a component of cardiac rehabilitation. To address pulmonary issues, a physical therapist will help improve your health and quality of life through breathing, strengthening and conditioning exercises. Physical therapy also helps clear fluid from the lungs.
2. Managing issues that come with age
With aging, the chances of developing osteoporosis or arthritis are increased. A physical therapist is a trained expert at helping patients recover and manage age-related health problems like osteoporosis and arthritis.
3. Mobility improvement
With both passive and active treatments, physical therapy improves mobility. Muscles are strengthened and flexibility is greatly improved. This way you can engage in activities and lead a healthy lifestyle.
4. Fall prevention and balance improvement
With physical therapy, a physical therapist will screen your risk for falling. Exercises will be given to improve your balance in real-life situations. Assistive devices will be given to ensure safe walking. And if you have a problem with your vestibular system, a physical therapist will perform specific methods to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of vertigo and dizziness.
5. Decreasing the need for surgical intervention
When physical therapy works to heal and reduce pain, the need for surgery is greatly decreased. “For some conditions, including meniscal tears and knee osteoarthritis, treatment by a PT has been found to be as effective as surgery.”
6. Pain relief
Manual therapy treatments like soft tissue mobilization, ultrasound, electric stimulation and targeted exercises help relieve pain and restore joint and muscle function. These types of methods also help prevent pain from coming back.
Ready to get started?
With physical therapy, you will receive an individualized treatment plan to address your challenges, needs, and objectives. Your physical therapist will help you manage pain, improve chronic conditions, recover from injury, and prevent future chronic illnesses.
Your physical therapist will also work with other health professionals to ensure that you get the best care. Patients are encouraged to participate actively in their treatment plan. Physical therapy is designed to improve your health and help you engage in your regular activities.
Contact Cornerstone Physical Therapy today to get started on the first steps of improved health and wellness!
Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3511275/
- https://www.choosept.com/Benefits/Default.aspx
